There are few more romantic venues to begin the next chapter of your relationship than a cruise ship – making ships an ideal place to propose. Indeed, the idyllic ports of call and the deep blue ocean make for a scenic backdrop to get down on one knee.
This is why one young 22-year-old man is planning to propose to his girlfriend of three years on their upcoming sailing onboard Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas– but first wanted to seek advice from experienced cruisers to make sure the moment is perfect.
“My idea is to do it at the formal dinner on the first night. Eat first so we don’t spoil our meal and then when dessert comes, have the waiter bring out the ring with the dessert and do it right there in front of hundreds of people. I am going to try to tip a photographer to be there and be ready,” he shared on Reddit.
The idea of proposing on the first night of the sailing is smart – especially because the man had already discussed marriage with his partner and knew she would say yes.
With Harmony of the Seas currently operating 6 to 8-night sailings throughout the Western Caribbean, this leaves around a week to celebrate their engagement before returning to reality – and an opportunity to enjoy romantic amenities onboardlike couples’ spa treatments and specialty fine dining.
The Oasis-class ship also offers the ability to book a private photography session in the onboard studio, around the ship, and even in ports of call.
This is a great option for capturing the proposal, but also to take engagement photos after the fact to use for social media and to put on save-the-dates or a wedding website later on.
“Does anyone else have any ideas at all?? I want to make this very very special, but I know no matter what she will love it. I will try talking to guest services to see if they have any special ideas in mind, but I just really want to make sure I do this right,”he continued.
As he asked for advice, the cruising community was happy to oblige. He received more than 100 comments with suggestions and considerations that actually changed his plan.
A Personal Proposal
The resounding sentiment among the cruise community was that a public proposal in the dining room was not the right approach – largely because it would put the fiancée on the spot.
While some people don’t mind being the center of attention – I certainly didn’t when my husband proposed at Disneyland – but having an audience can make others very uncomfortable.
The other argument was that the main dining room likely wouldn’t offer the nicest backdrops for photos compared to other venues onboard.
Harmony of the Seas Dining Room
“Would she want to be proposed to with hundreds of people around her? That seems rather daunting. I think going to a specialty restaurant would lead to better pictures and a more intimate setting. You can also consider doing it rather privately elsewhere on the ship,” one person weighed in.
“As for pictures of the event, I’m sure you can arrange for a photographer, but it won’t exactly be a pretty scene, with all the glasses on the table, chairs askew, other tables in the background, etc. Could you possibly book dinner in one of the specialty restaurants so you have a nicer, quieter place to propose?,” another suggested.
Others also cautioned against giving the ring to the waiter in the event it became lost or damaged in the hustle and bustle of the busy dining room and kitchen.
Ultimately, the thoughtful boyfriend decided to change his plan to take a more personal approach.
“You guys are awesome. Thank you for the ideas and advice. I think I’m gonna stray away from the dining idea, more personal seems the way to go. I just want it to be very special,”he said in an update.
And once she says “yes,” the couple can start dreaming about their upcoming wedding – and if they might want to say “I do” at sea as well. If they had the desire, they could get married onboardHarmony of the Seas, or another Royal Caribbean ship.
Every crew member on a cruise ship – from the guest services staff to baggage handlers, housekeepers, and pool attendants – works diligently seven days a week to ensure every guest has a great vacation.
How much should these hard-working crew members be tipped for the excellent service they provide? The answer isn’t always straightforward and often depends on what type of cruise experience you’ve had.
My Cruise Tipping Totals
In general, I’ve had fairly good cruise experiences and tip the customary amount in recognition of the service I’ve received. On most cruises, this means the automatic gratuity – usually from $16-25 per person, per day – which is divided between the housekeeping team and the dining team.
In elite areas, such as MSC Cruises’ MSC Yacht Club or Norwegian Cruise Line’s The Haven, higher gratuity rates include the butler or concierge who provide extra services and more personalized attention to every guest.
If extra care has been given, such as the anniversary cruise where my husband and I received a pair of beautiful towel swans and a heart in our stateroom to celebrate the special day, I offer an extra tip on top of the automatic gratuity. This might be $20-60 (for the entire cruise) for the stateroom attendant and a similar amount for the dining team.
Tips on Carnival Cruise Ship (Credit: John Heald)
For one-off services, such as a bartender or spa masseuse, the standard 18% gratuity is automatically added to the tab. But as with other crew members, if excellent service is given, an extra tip is also given.
For example, my husband wanted to try a beer flight at Guy’s Pig & Anchor Brewhouse onboard Carnival Celebration. One of the brews he wanted to try wasn’t customarily part of the pre-determined flight, but the bartender swapped it out anyway. That warranted an extra $3 tip.
Similarly, when we wanted to dance to a special song from the piano player at the Schooner Bar onboard Independence of the Seas, that request (and some excellent musical talent) earned a $2 tip.
It is important to note that everyone’s tipping experiences will be different on different cruises and different cruise lines. But how can you sort out who to tip how much?
Automatic Gratuities – Who Is Paid What?
Cruise Tipping (Photo Credit: Kamil Zajaczkowski)
First of all, most cruise lines have an automatic gratuity policy with tips added to guests’ onboard accounts. If you agree with those gratuities and don’t want to tip above those amounts – and you do not have to, so don’t let anyone guilt you into doing otherwise – you don’t have to tip another penny.
Automatic tips are processed without any input, and it’s very convenient. But who gets what tip, and when?
Both pre-paid and onboard automatic gratuities offer extra compensation to the same crew members, those who have the most personal connections to guests. This includes the dining team and the housekeeping team, both lead or head positions as well as 2-3 assistants on each team.
The total of the gratuities – which may also be called “service charges” or “crew appreciation” – does not change, whether they are paid before or during the cruise.
All passengers’ gratuities are lumped into a common pool and divided among the applicable crew members according to published rates. Despite rumors and “I heard from a friend whose cousin-twice-removed is a travel agent who took a cruise and talked to a crew member who said” lines of communication, crew members do not know in advance who pays for gratuities, who might adjust gratuities, and who pays tips in cash.
What differs is when these gratuities are paid, and guests have control over that timing.
Pre-Paid Gratuities – When Are They Paid?
Cruise Ships Docked at PortMiami (Photo Credit: Ceri Breeze)
Pre-paid gratuities are included in the total of your cruise fare and will be paid off by your final payment date, long before you set sail. You have to select this option, as it is not generally the default choice.
While pre-paid gratuities do add an extra charge up front, they are convenient. You do not have to worry about extra tips once onboard the ship, and you don’t have to fret over higher-than-expected onboard charges.
This is a great option for easy travel budgeting. It is especially welcome if you might be concerned about whether or not your selected credit or debit card will have enough financial flexibility to cover all your onboard charges – drinks, souvenirs, shore tours, photos, etc.
Automatic Gratuities – Paid During the Cruise
Cruise Line App (Photo Credit: Jeff Whyte)
If you do not select pre-payment for gratuities, the tips are added to your onboard account during your sailing. This may be done toward the end of the cruise or partway through the sailing. Some cruise lines may add each day’s gratuity individually, which can help you see how your account total changes throughout the cruise.
This is an easy way to pay tips onboard, but it can add up quickly for a longer cruise or larger family. Still, this is very convenient and a popular way to pay for tips without leaving anyone out.
Discretionary Gratuities – That Something Extra
Crew Tipping (Photo Credit: DC Studio)
Discretionary gratuities are extra tips you offer as-needed during the cruise, often in cash as services are rendered. This might be a thank you to a stateroom attendant, bartender, or casino dealer, over and above pre-paid or automatic tips. This is always up to you and you shouldn’t feel pressured to pay more.
Offering an extra cash tip is a great way to extend personal thanks to a hard-working crew member without visiting guest services or putting that money into the common tipping pool.
While different cruise lines may have different policies, Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed that extra cash tips offered to individual crew members do stay with those crew members.
There are many other crew members who might deserve extra tips on your cruise, depending on what tasks they perform and how much their work enhances your cruise experience.
Housekeeping Tips
Photo Credit: StudioPortoSabbia / Shutterstock
While the housekeeping team is part of the automatic tipping pool, these are some of the hardest working crew members onboard and there are many ways they might deserve a little something extra.
Lose a button off a dress shirt before formal night and ask the cabin attendant where to get a needle and thread? They might take care of the sewing themselves – that definitely warrants an extra tip.
Feeling a bit of seasickness and prefer to stay in your stateroom? That cabin attendant who brings you green apples and bottled water definitely deserves a bit of extra acknowledgement.
We’ve tipped extra to our stateroom attendant for such extra services, as well as for providing a daily ice bucket, cleaning up excess sand after a beach day, or that time when we wanted a recommendation about which onboard show to see.
Just as with the stateroom attendant, the dining team is part of the regular tipping pool. These servers, however, can do so much to make your mealtime experiences even more spectacular.
Have a picky eater in your family? That assistant waiter who has chicken tenders and fries ready to go and who brings chocolate chip cookies every evening for dessert would appreciate the extra tip for his efforts.
How about that bread service? If you love Royal Caribbean’s cheese rolls as much as I do, you’ll love a waiter who brings you extra to enjoy each evening (my waistline doesn’t love it quite as much, but I’m on vacation!). That special attention deserves an extra special tip.
And no cruise dinner is complete without a decadent dessert. Let your Carnival wait staff know just how you like your warm chocolate melting cake – for me, medium-melty with two scoops of vanilla ice cream – and they’ll be sure it arrives perfectly, every time. With that level of service, I make sure their extra tip arrives as well.
Room Service Tips
Dollar Bills for Carnival Crew Member Tips (Photo Credits: Cruise Hive & Dennis Sylvester Hurd)
The crew members who deliver room service orders are not part of the general tipping pool. A tip of $1-5 is customary depending on the size of the order and how quickly it may be delivered. A little extra generosity is also appreciated if they take away any empty dishes that may be in your stateroom already.
If room service has a delivery fee, check the receipt carefully to note whether or not that fee covers any gratuity.
Bartending Tips
Princess Cruises Bar (Photo Credit: steve estvanik)
It is not generally necessary to tip bartenders or baristas, as an extra 15-18 percent gratuity is automatically added to bar tabs even for just a single drink. A tip of $2-3 for great service, however, such as replacing a spilled drink or remembering that special morning latte order, is always welcome.
Casino Tips
Casino Crew on Cunard Line (Photo Credit: Lucy Daniels)
In the ship’s casino, dealers and croupiers are not part of the general tipping pool and no tips are required. It is customary, however, to offer a tip after a great winning streak, and the amount should be relative to one’s winnings.
If a server brings a free drink to a player while enjoying table games or slot machines, a $1-2 tip would be appreciated, but is not mandated.
Spa Service Tips
It is not necessary to tip spa personnel or fitness center staff, whether for free activities, such as a morning stretch class, or for paid services, like a hot stone massage.
A few extra dollars to recognize a job well done won’t be out of place, however, especially for individualized services such as hair styling or personal training.
Check receipts first, however, as these services may also have service charges or automatic gratuities already added to the totals.
Youth Staff Tips
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
Parents and grandparents who enjoy cruise vacations with their children and grandchildren do not typically need to tip youth counselors. If the children have special needs or preferences and the staff goes above and beyond to give these young cruisers a great time, however, an extra tip of $10-20 per child is appropriate for the duration of the cruise.
A few extra dollars’ tip for an evening babysitter is also acceptable, even if the service does require an extra charge.
These Aren’t Crew Members – But They Can Be Tipped Too!
Royal Caribbean Cruise Luggage (Photo Credit: Solarisys)
Some extra tips may be paid to staff who aren’t actually part of the cruise ship’s crew or the cruise line’s shoreside team, but who nevertheless offer invaluable services to passengers.
For example, luggage porters who handle heavy bags before and after the cruise are typically tipped $1-2 per bag for their assistance, or as much as $5 per bag for very large, heavy, or awkward luggage.
The drivers and guides for shore tours are also independently employed and may accept tips. In general, $3-5 per guest for a shorter 3-4 hour tour or up to $20-25 for a 6-8 hour excursion for the guide is a proper amount, with an extra $5-10 for the driver.
Do Not Tip These Crew Members – Ever!
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
The one group of people who should never be tipped on a cruise are the officers – these professionals are well-paid for their rank, and an extra gratuity could be seen as patronizing, insulting, or embarrassing. This includes the ship’s master (captain), engineers, hotel director, and even the cruise director.
Instead, a genuine word of thanks and praise for the vessel and her crew would be most welcome.
An exception is the maitre d’ of the dining room. If this officer granted a special favor, such as arranging for different seating or changing a dining time at short notice, a $10-20 tip is customary.
The exception to this exception can be if you visit the dining room on embarkation day at the stated time – usually a couple of hours in the afternoon – to ask about your table assignment. During that window, changes are common and no gratuity is necessary for a simple dining adjustment.
So, How Much Do You Tip – Total?
Carnival Cruise Line Tipping (Photo: John Heald)
So, how much do all these tips add up to for a cruise budget?
For me and my husband, when it is just the two of us sailing on a 7-night cruise, we budget $50 per day for both the automatic gratuities and extra tips.
This adds up to $350 for our cruise tipping budget, which doesn’t count any tips for shore tours. In total for such a sailing if we are visiting exciting ports of call, we would plan for $500 in tips.
Exactly how much you ought to budget for tips will depend on the length of the cruise, how many people are sailing, the type of stateroom you book, and what extra services you enjoy.
Everyone will tip a different amount, and while there are guidelines, there are no exact right answers that suit everyone. Enjoy your cruise, and be sure to thank those who make it even more enjoyable!
Disney Cruise Line is thinking long-term when it comes to Catalina Island, the destination off California’s coast that has emerged as a sought-after port call by guests.
The island’s only city, Avalon, has approved a five-year agreement giving the cruise line preferred access to anchorage areas. Avalon’s harbor has no docking facilities, and all cruise ships must tender guests to shore.
Under the pact approved by the Avalon City Council on March 4, 2025, Disney Cruise Line ships will enjoy preferred access on Tuesdays year-round and on Saturdays from mid-September to mid-May.
The agreement takes effect in 2027 and includes two options for five-year extensions, potentially giving Disney ships top access to anchorage sites for the following 15 years.
Disney Cruise Line ships have been including Catalina Island on their itineraries for the past few years. Disney Wonder made her maiden call to the island in 2022 and returned for a series of cruises in 2023. Disney Magic also called at the island in 2023. Both ships accommodate 2,700 guests.
In 2024 and 2025, Disney Wonder added Catalina Island as a call on her 3- and 4-night Baja Cruises, which sail from San Diego and also visit Ensenada, Mexico.
Disney Wonder will next call at the island on March 15 and 18, 2025 during Baja voyages, which continue into early May 2025 before the ship deploys to Vancouver, British Columbia for an Alaska cruise series.
Under the terms of the Avalon agreement, Disney Cruise Line guarantees it will deliver 120,000 cruise guests to the island each year. The cruise line also agreed to pay a $9 wharfage fee per passenger, an amount subject to a 2.5% increase in each year of the contract.
According to local media reports, the deal with Disney Cruise Line is not meant to increase the number of cruise ships calling at Catalina Island but rather to better manage visitors.
“This partnership makes sense because Disney shares our values and concerns as a city,” said David Maistros, city manager of Avalon.
“It strengthens our ability to offer a high-quality experience while securing financial stability,” Maistros added.
A Disney Cruise Line official noted that Avalon is a key destination in the cruise line’s strategy for growth.
More Cruise Lines Discover Allure of Catalina Island
Demand for cruise calls to Catalina Island has grown in recent years, evidenced by the number of maiden visits by a variety of major cruise lines.
In 2024, for instance, the island experienced a record number of maiden calls by five ships — Seabourn’s Seabourn Sojourn, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Summit; Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Firenze; and Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas.
Cruise Ship at Avalon, Catalina Island (Photo Credit: cvalle)
Catalina Island is just 22 miles off the California coast. The nearest port is Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles. The island is about 85 miles from San Diego, the seasonal homeport for Disney Wonder in 2025.
The destination is known for its protected conservation areas and eight marine sanctuaries, providing visiting cruise ships with the ability to offer a wide variety of nature-focused shore excursions. One unique shore tour that Disney Cruise Line offers takes guests to view a herd of bison that lives in the island’s interior.
Other featured excursions include a falconry experience, beachside relaxation at the Descanso Beach Club, hiking, kayaking, and sailing tours, and seal cruises, among many others.
Besides Disney Wonder, other ships slated to call at Catalina Island in spring 2025 include Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Radiance and Carnival Firenze, Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess, and Holland America Line’s Zaandam.
A trade war of words unfolded between officials in Alaska and British Columbia as the new US administration enacts its tariff strategy against Canada, but in this case, the cruise industry could get caught in the middle.
In a radio interview on March 11, 2025, US Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) vowed to pursue a waiver of the Jones Act, a century-old maritime protectionist law. His plan, local media reported, would lift the rule that prevents foreign-flagged ships from sailing directly between two US ports.
The Jones Act (officially the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) is the reason why cruise ships traveling from, say, Seattle to Juneau must first stop at a British Columbia port, such as Vancouver, Victoria, or Prince Rupert.
Virtually every cruise ship operating is foreign flagged, with the notable exception being Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, which is US flagged and as such is able to sail directly between the Hawaiian Islands, where she is deployed year-round and has no direct, port-to-port competition.
The goal of the waiver in Alaska would be financial — to deprive the Canadian ports of hundreds of cruise ship calls and millions in revenue through the Alaska season.
However, there is no guarantee that, if a waiver is issued, Alaska-bound cruise lines will change their ships’ published itineraries to exclude calls at the Canadian ports, which are popular destinations for guests.
Sullivan threatened to seek a waiver after British Columbia Premier David Eby said he plans to take steps to charge tolls on commercial trucks traveling from the US through British Columbia on their way to Alaska.
Since all vehicles entering Alaska by road must travel through British Columbia, Eby’s threat would certainly raise costs for Alaskan residents and businesses — including cruise lines, whose ships often take on supplies in various Alaska ports.
Cruise Ships Represent Major Revenue Source for Canada
The cruise industry represents an enormous economic boon to British Columbia each year. Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, will see more than 300 cruise ship visits, including embarkations and disembarkations, during the 2025 season, which has already opened.
Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wonder was the first to call at the port, on March 5, 2025. Through mid-October, about 1.2 million passengers will transit the port. Cruise tourism accounts for a $3 million influx of revenue every time a cruise ship calls at Vancouver.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority is another major port. It reached a milestone in 2023 when it welcomed its 10 millionth cruise arrival. Victoria, about 75 miles from Vancouver, reaps some $56 million a year in passenger spending from the 300-plus cruise ships that typically call.
Cruise lines contribute to Victoria’s coffers too, to the tune of about $84 million in port charges, docking fees, and other contractual services with the port.
Celebrity Cruise Ship Docked in Vancouver (Photo Credit: Drew Rawcliffe)
Even Prince Rupert Cruise Port, a much smaller facility that in 2024 welcomed just 43 cruise ships, received the financial benefits of hosting about 60,000 passengers.
In his radio interview, Sullivan suggested that the US Congress could pass a law to exempt cruise ships from the required call at a Canadian port, or the administration could provide the exemption via an executive order.
“You know, Canada, you don’t want to mess with Alaska,” US Sen. Sullivan said.
“If you do, we’re going to work hard on having our cruise ships bypass your ports, and that’ll help our economy tremendously, it’ll help our tourism industry tremendously, and it’ll really hurt their tourism,” added Sullivan.
The Jones Act requirement was temporarily removed once before, during the Covid pandemic.
Among the ships scheduled to call at Vancouver as the spring season gets under way are Holland America Line’s Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, and Koningsdam; Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess, Caribbean Princess, and Ruby Princess; Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice; and Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas, to name just a few.
But before they start sailing for Carnival – which is also the parent company of P&O Cruisesand the late P&O Cruises Australia – the vessels will need to undergo a makeover.
The cruise line has now updated their website to show what the Grand-class ships will look like when they sail out after two weeks in wet dock as Carnival Encounter and Carnival Adventure.
As some cruise fans have already noticed, their new livery is a break from the standard look of the rest of the fleet.
Carnival ships are famous for their blue hulls,which arepaired with colors like red and white. The ship’s name is then written on the stern over the blue background.
But interestingly, Carnival’s newest additions will follow in the footsteps of Carnival Splendor – which was given a brand new look that was completely unique to this ship while visiting dry dock in August of 2024.
Carnival Encounter seems to feature a white hull with a red stripe, while Carnival Adventure will have a white hull with a blue or turquoise accent.
Like Carnival Splendor, the former P&O ships will also feature an upgraded Carnival logo on their mid-ship hulls, complete with a stylized swoop and stars that are meant to represent the Southern Cross.
The Southern Cross is a prominent symbol in Australia that appears on the country’s national flag and is the Miami-based cruise line’s way of paying homage to “the Land Down Under” with the design of the ships that are deployed there.
Carnival Splendor is already homeporting in Sydney, Australia, and will be joined by the 2,363-guest Carnival Adventure when she resumes service on March 29, 2025.
After the wet dock visit concludes, the 2,600-guest Carnival Encounter will resume homeporting operations out of Brisbane, Australia, on March 29, 2025 – which was also her most recent homeport in her former life.
Combining the Best of Carnival and P&O Australia
Now is not the time to mourn what Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure once were. Instead, try to think of this as a “glow up” for both of the vessels – which should still be in service for many more years.
Both ships will officially be heading to wet dock when Pacific Adventure returns from her final sailing under that name on March 14, 2024 – which was a 4-night voyage to Moreton Island based out of Sydney, Australia.
“This transition presents a unique opportunity to combine the best of P&O Cruises Australia and Carnival Cruise Line as the brand expands its footprint in Australia,” said Kara Glamore, VP of Sales and Marketing, when the rebrand was first announced.
Of course, this means classic elements of any Carnival Cruise will be brought to life onboard, including a Fun Squad to lead activities and theme nights with energetic dance parties, such as the popular Glow Party and White-Hot Night.
But at the same time, much of the existing entertainment, dining venues, and amenities will remain available onboard, including Luke’s Bar & Grill, Angelo’s, Dragon Lady, the Blanc de Blanc show, and the Edge Adventure Park – which offers ziplining at sea.
Guests who opt tostay in suites and mini suiteswill also have access to the exclusive Byron Beach Club – which features a private pool, whirlpool spas, and comfy seating just for those VIP passengers.
The Norwegian Cruise Line fleet has entered a new generation with the successful delivery of Norwegian Aqua, the first in the Prima Plus class of ships.
Fincantieri delivered the ship to the cruise line on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at their Marghera shipyard in northern Italy, celebrating the milestone as the new ship prepares to welcome guests later this month.
Shipyard and cruise line executives were on hand for the festive occasion, which involved great thanks for the more than 4,000 contractors who worked tirelessly to bring the new ship to life.
The first vessel of the expanded Prima Plus class, Norwegian Aqua will be significantly different from her sister ships, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva.
Norwegian Aqua is 10% larger, measuring 156,300 gross tons and stretching 1,056 feet. She will be able to welcome 3,571 guests and offers a range of new and outstanding features.
“Norwegian Aqua is a true testament of fusing together what represents the future of our Brand as the first ship in the Prima Plus Class, and our commitment to pushing the boundaries in guest-first experiences that will make new waves at sea,”said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line.
Guests will appreciate her relaxing design that promotes connections to the water through more wide open spaces, as well as fostering a sense of interior space with modern, elevated design architecture.
Norwegian Aqua also features the most expansive outdoor promenade in the fleet, offering 360-degree views and a variety of sculptures to add elegance to the space.
Thrill seekers won’t want to miss the first-ever Aqua Slidecoaster, a hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide with dueling tracks powered by a magnetic lift. Each track is different and both wrap around the ship’s funnel, spanning the top three decks of the ship.
The ship will also feature the Glow Court sport game experience with an interactive LED floor. This uniquely immersive space is sure to offer high-energy excitement for all ages, while the Aqua Game Zone has a range of video games and virtual reality simulators.
With Norwegian Aqua now officially part of Norwegian Cruise Line, the countdown is on for her maiden voyage, a 7-night westbound transatlantic cruise from Southampton to Boston. From there, the ship will move to Miami briefly, before homeporting at Port Canaveral.
Norwegian Aqua Cruise Ship (Credit: Fincantieri)
From the Space Coast, the new ship will be offering 7-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries that will visit St. Thomas, Tortola, Puerto Plata, and of course, Great Stirrup Cay – Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island destination in the Bahamas.
In August, the ship will reposition to New York to offer Bermuda cruises, before moving to Miami in early October. In April 2026, Norwegian Aqua will return to the Big Apple.
A Big Week for Norwegian Cruise Line
The delivery of Norwegian Aqua is not the only momentous occasion for Norwegian Cruise Line this week. On Friday, March 14, 2025, her sister ship – the upcoming Norwegian Luna – will be launched for the first time. This is a celebrated milestone in cruise ship construction and further shows the strong relationship between the cruise line and Fincantieri.
Norwegian Luna is scheduled for delivery in spring 2026 and will bring her own phenomenal experiences to cruise travelers. She is scheduled to welcome her first guests in early April 2026, homeporting from Miami year-round.
Also coming up for Norwegian Cruise Line, though not quite this week, will be the beginning phases of construction for the newly-announced massive class of as-yet-unnamed vessels. Four ships have been ordered and they will be the largest every constructed for Norwegian Cruise Line, significantly surpassing the Breakaway Plus class.
Every experienced cruiser is familiar with the safety briefing, during which procedures such as how to find one’s muster station, what emergency signals sound like, and how to put on a life jacket are covered.
New e-muster drills were implemented following the industry shutdown to help ease crowded situations while still conveying essential safety information.
The e-muster is faster and smoother for many guests, requiring just a couple of minutes of time as guests report to their muster stations shortly after embarkation. The rest of the safety information is shared through online videos and presentations on stateroom televisions.
While Carnival Cruise Line has previously said the e-muster is here to stay and they will not be returning to the full, in-person safety briefing, that isn’t 100% true.
Guests onboard three upcoming sailings across the Carnival fleet have received notifications that their safety briefings will, in fact, be the “old style” in-person drills. This is part of the cruise line’s ongoing commitment to safety and ensuring full and complete training for all crew members.
The impacted voyages are the March 16 departure of Carnival Liberty, as well as the March 17 departures for Carnival Conquest and Carnival Valor.
Carnival Liberty will be setting sail from New Orleans on a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Carnival Valor is likewise sailing from New Orleans, but on a 5-night itinerary to Cozumel and Progreso.
Carnival Conquest will be departing from PortMiami on a 4-night Bahamas cruise to Princess Cays and Nassau.
“Shortly before departure, a full safety drill will take place on your upcoming sailing,”the email notifications for each ship read.“This is a mandatory procedure, and all guests will be required to participate in this brief but essential exercise.”
This is not to be confused with other crew safety training sessions and drills, which are often conducted during different sailings to simulate emergency situations and keep all crew members updated on critical procedures.
All guests on all three ships are required to participate in the safety briefings, which will happen just before the published sail away time.
“Ship-wide announcements will provide guidance on the process, which will include collective gathering at your assigned muster station to familiarize yourself with the necessary steps to take in the unlikely event of an emergency,”the notifications said.
Muster Drill on Carnival Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: PIXAS)
The in-person safety drills generally take 20-30 minutes from start to finish. This includes all the time for guests to assemble at their various muster stations, life jacket demonstrations, safety instruction, and sounding the ship’s emergency signals.
To make the drills go more quickly, guests should be sure to move to their correct muster stations right away when the drill begins. No food or drinks should be taken along, cell phones should be put away, and remaining quiet through the instruction will ensure a smoother, faster drill procedure.
Safety Always Comes First
Every cruise conducts safety briefings before the ship is able to sail away from its homeport. While the e-muster is faster and more convenient for many guests, randomly implementing the in-person drills ensures that both crew members and guests are familiar with all emergency procedures.
The full drills are implemented at random across the Carnival fleet. While Carnival Liberty, Carnival Conquest, and Carnival Valor are the latest ships to receive notification of an upcoming full drill, this does not mean those vessels will not have another full drill in the future.
Carnival Cruise Line will notify guests on any future impacted voyages shortly before their sailings. This is to ensure that everyone is aware that the full drill is exactly that – a drill – without creating confusion about safety procedures.
Undoubtedly, all Carnival ships undergo these random full safety drills occasionally, just to be sure every crew on every one of the fleet’s 27 – soon to be 29 – ships is thoroughly trained and prepared for different emergency situations.
The Dominican Republic is one of the countries in the Caribbean welcoming the rise of cruise tourism with open arms — and newer ports.
In March, 2025, construction began on a new cruise ship terminal at the Port of Barahona — a project that will allow cruise ships to dock in the area for the first time.
Barahona is located on the island’s southern coast, which is generally considered to be very remote and inaccessible — an issue that new cruise ports are slowly solving for tourists.
The current port is only built to handle cargo ships and smaller vessels — but by 2026 it will be able to provide docking options for medium-sized cruise ships.
The cruise industry has had a huge impact on the economy in the Dominican Republic — and expanding the offerings at the Port of Barahona, it will transform and create a major tourist destination in the southern region of the country.
The new cruise terminal will cost $11.37 million — and will feature a 5,980 square meter central plaza and a gazebo area for parking cars and buses.
Currently, the construction area for the terminal project is 6,329 square meters — while the intervention area, where the central plaza and commercial spaces will be, is a massive 23,096 square meters.
To put this into perspective, the size of the 23,096 square meters is roughly equivalent to about 4.3 football fields.
This area will house 35 commercial spaces — as well as several recreational spaces such as bars, restaurants, a church, and even areas dedicated to recreating the rum-making experience. Additional touches will include a security area lighting, restrooms, and signage.
During the event to kick off the construction, the president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, expressed the importance of the success and launch of the cruise port as Barahona is relying on a boom in tourism and real estate.
The president also announced that David Collado — the Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic — would be working closely with the country’s business sector to make the project successful.
“We are here, having begun work on the tourist pier, a much-needed and necessary project for this beautiful province of Barahona,”added Collado.
This project is being carried out by both the Tourism Zone Infrastructure Executive Committee (CEIZTUR) of the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), aiming to be completed by 2026 ahead of the winter cruise season.
The goal is for the more modern pier to increase the flow of tourism in the province and surrounding areas, so much so that the economic impact spills over into the community.
New Ports in the Dominican Republic
In 2024, the Dominican Republic welcomed 2.6 million passengers — becoming the third most visited destination by cruise tourists in the Caribbean last year.
The new cruise terminal at the Port of Barahona is part of a broader effort to develop cruise ports in the southern region of the country, following other recent developments.
In January, 2024, Cabo Rojo in Pedernales welcomed a cruise ship — Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2,394 passenger Norwegian Pearl — to its port for the first time ever.
Under Construction Port of Barahona (Credit: Ministry of Tourism)
While there were a total of 5 cruise calls in 2024, the port remained under development for much of the year. Still, cruise tourism brought in $2 million to the local economy in 2024 — with estimated figures for 2025 being $15 million.
The port’s second phase was inaugurated on October 16, 2024 — expanding dock capabilities to accommodate 2 large cruise ships simultaneously, with the capacity for up to 15,000 passengers.
The budget for the new cruise terminal at Barahona is 91% less than the one used to build in Cabo Rojo, so it would come by no surprise if the mooring accommodations will be more limited.
However, specifications about the dock in Barahona is currently unknown beyond the construction area size.
Regardless, this new dock — along with the one in Cabo Rojo — is setting the southern side of the island up for success with both cruise companies and passengers alike, offering fresh destinations and new facilities.
Guests sailing on select Royal Caribbean voyages from PortMiami are receiving letters offering free airport transfers on debarkation day. While this does not apply to embarking guests, it can help ensure smoother traffic and fewer backups on the busiest homeport days.
Two ships have so far offered this amazing deal to guests: Icon of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas. Icon of the Seas is currently the largest passenger ship in the world, while Symphony of the Seas comes in as the fourth largest when vessels are measured by gross tonnage.
It appears that Royal Caribbean is only offering the complimentary airport transfers on expected high traffic days, and therefore not every sailing will have the same benefit.
For example, guests booked on Icon of the Seas‘ March 15, 2025 sailing have received the offer. This does not affect transfers on embarkation day, but rather applies to March 22, when the massive ship returns from her 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary.
On that day, PortMiami will be hosting seven different homeported ships. In addition to Icon of the Seas, ships from Virgin Voyages, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Carnival Cruise Line will also be both embarking and debarking guests. In total, more than 54,000 passengers may be moving through PortMiami on March 22.
“Since we’re expecting heavier traffic than usual on debarkation day, we’re now offering complimentary transfers,”the email notification said.“Because you’ve already booked and paid for your return trip to the airport, we’ll be refunding your reservation and rebooking you on a complimentary shuttle back to the airport on debarkation day.”
Refunds will be processed back to guests’ original form of payment within 14 business days, but different financial institutions may have different processing times.
The rebooking to a complimentary shuttle, as well as the refund, will be automatic and impacted guests do not need to make any special arrangements.
Guests who have not already booked and paid for post-cruise airport transfers are also receiving the offer on affected days.
“We’d like to offer you a complimentary transfer to either Miami International or Fort Lauderdale airport after your cruise,”the email to guests booked on Symphony of the Seas read.“All you have to do is log into your Cruise Planner account and make a reservation.”
It must be noted that space is limited on the free transfers and is only available on a first come, first served basis. Furthermore, this service is not likely to be offered on every cruise, but will be announced shortly before embarkation if it will apply.
Cruise Ship in Miami (Photo Credit: Anthony Giarrusso / Shutterstock)
To further ease traffic congestion, Royal Caribbean is also suggesting that guests take advantage of their Self-Assist Departure option for debarkation. With this option, guests carry off all their luggage and are able to depart the ship as soon as customs and immigration has cleared the vessel.
By leaving the ship first, guests can depart the cruise terminal – both Icon of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas dock at Terminal A – more quickly, clearing the way for arriving passengers.
More Traffic Difficulties
The cruise traffic to PortMiami can certainly be extreme – in March 2025, five different days feature 7+ ships at once, and seven additional days have six cruise ships docked at once.
The busiest day is likely to be Sunday, March 30, when a total of nine different ships are scheduled to be in port: Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas; Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady; Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Escape; MSC Cruises MSC Seaside; and Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Spirit, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Celebration.
When all guests from those ships are combined for both debarkation and embarkation, as many as 76,000 or more travelers will be moving through PortMiami that day.
Furthermore, events like the recent 305 Half Marathon, music and art festivals, and the Miami Marathon bring even more visitors to downtown Miami, creating road closures and additional traffic difficulties near the port area.
Hopefully the offer of complimentary airport transfers will help alleviate some of the crowding and traffic, letting all cruise guests end their vacations smoothly and comfortably, refreshed, relaxed, and ready to set sail again.
